Walking the Dog Home
by RockSunner
Summary: Velma has an opportunity to talk to Scooby as they walk home from being kidnapped. Mystery Incorporated universe, with spoilers up to episode 16.


This is a short dialog set in the "Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated" universe. Velma has an opportunity to talk with Scooby-Doo as they walk home from being kidnapped.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters here. This version of Scooby-Doo is fluent in English, so there won't be a lot of extra "r's" in what he says. Set within episode 15 ("The Wild Brood"), but there may be mild spoilers up to episode 16.

**Walking the Dog Home**

Velma said to Scooby-Doo, "Well, we're in the middle of nowhere and that creep took my cell phone. We're going to have to walk home and hope we get a lift on the way."

Scooby said, "Walk? Okay."

He kept up a gentle pace by her side as they walked the country road away from the cliffs.

"Eldrich blood, he said. I'll tell you one thing, he has cold blood. After I did the computer hacking he wanted he just pushed me over the cliff. If you hadn't been there to save me... feel my hand. I'm still trembling."

She put her hand on Scooby's back and he said, "I feel it."

"In the good old days the bad guys just wanted to scare us a little, chase us away. Have you ever seen such a ruthless villain as this?"

"Phantom tried to burn Rhaggy and me... Harry too."

"What was up with that Harry business, anyway? You knew it wasn't alive, right?"

"Wanted to hurt Rhaggy like he hurt me. He lied to me." Scooby said.

"Lied to you?" asked Velma.

"Prom. Rhaggy said he would watch Ran Rhoul with me."

"I'm sorry he did that," Velma said. "It wasn't my idea."

"Sneaked away with you. Scared me – I thought the Rhost Girl got him."

"Yes, he should have told you long before. I wanted him to," said Velma.

"We're good again now," said Scooby.

"Since he chose you over me, I'm sure you are," said Velma.

"Can we all be friends?"

"Not that simple. I got hurt too, a lot. Do you know what they started calling me at school?"

"What?"

"'Dumped for a Dog Dinkley," said Velma. "It's even alliterative."

"Huh?"

"It means it will stick in people's memory. I'll have a worse nickname than the one I stuck my worst enemy with: 'Hot Dog Water'."

"Yummy, but I want the hot dogs too," said Scooby.

"It's about the way she smells... she does, too. But now people are laughing at me," said Velma.

"I don't mind when people laugh," said Scooby.

"Of course. You and Shaggy are our clowns. But I want to be take seriously," said Velma.

"We're all funny," said Scooby.

"Not me."

"You too. Like that joke on Rhaggy with the pants that were too tight."

"That wasn't a joke. I thought he looked hot in them."

"He was. They made him sweat."

"I mean, well... never mind."

"Bad thing was he couldn't run. Rhaggy and me need to run, to get away from monsters."

"I saw that problem when El Horrifico and her young accomplices went after us."

"Relma, you can't make Rhaggy do things he doesn't want. Not for long. Don't try to change him."

"I thought I was helping," Velma said.

"It's like our Mom. She gets mad and wants us to change. We go along for a little, keep the peace. Then go back to the old way," said Scooby.

"I see. Shaggy's learned to give in to get along," said Velma. "But inside he's got a mind of his own."

"Yes," said Scooby.

"I'm giving up on him. At least... I don't know. You know someday he'll want a girl in his life?"

"He's got me. We're best friends."

"So you'll keep being a dog in the manger?"

"Manger?"

"It's a Aesop's fable. A manger is like a trough, with food for animals."

"I'm in Rhaggy's manger?"

"Yes, that's it."

"I like getting Rhaggy's food. It's fun."

"No, this is about something you can't eat."

"Anything Rhaggy can eat I can too."

"That's not it. It's about... oh, it's hard to explain. Like dancing. Shaggy and I wanted to go the dance together."

"I can dance." said Scooby.

"Together, by ourselves," said Velma.

"I don't like that," said Scooby.

"That's a problem. Neither of us likes sharing him," said Velma. "But now I see how important you are to each other. You're really like brothers."

"Yeah," said Scooby.

"Maybe I can try, and also try not to control him," said Velma.

"Maybe me too," said Scooby.

"I'm unhappy without him. I was even desperate enough the other night that I almost called Jason."

"Rason? Dog monster robot guy?" Scooby shuddered.

"That was his mom. I'm sure he's not very happy in foster care, with her in jail. I thought maybe, being with someone who worshiped me would cheer me up. Then I thought better of it. Everything I said and did he would record and send to his geek friends all over the world."

"Scary guy."

"You're right about that. So, if things ever get serious between Shaggy and me again, would you get in the way again?"

"Don't know. Maybe. Don't let Rhaggy lie to me."

"He'll need to make the first move, and I may not respond even then. I don't want to be hurt again."

"Me neither."

"We saved each other's life tonight. That's a start," Velma said, petting his back.

"Yeah," said Scooby.

The lights of a police car were approaching. It looked like it was Sheriff Stone and the conversation was over for now.


End file.
